Necessity of Receiving Holy Communion with a Resolution of Doubts, Preface
To my Beloved Friends the Inhabitants of the City of Peterburgh.
THE reaſon of Printing theſe Diſcourſes, is nothing elſe, but the hope I have, that by preſenting to your Eyes, what you heard lately with your Ears; it may make not only a new, but a more laſting impreſſion upon your hearts: becauſe you may have recourſe to it when you pleaſe; and thereby not only refreſh your memories, but ſettle in your minds the remembrance of thoſe things, which you perceive have a power in them, to perſwade you to the conſtant performance of that duty, which is the ſubject of this Book.
A weighty Duty it is, whoſe practice I here moſt earneſtly preſs: and thereby invite you alſo to the enjoymentof a very high Priviledge; the higheſt we are capable of, in this preſent State.
So it was accounted in ancient times; when to be detained from it by ſickneſs, or ſuch like hindrance, was lookt upon as a very ſore affliction: under which they groaned ſo heavily, that they were wont to be comforted, by having the Holy Sacrament ſent home to them, from the Church, in token of Peace and Communion. But when any one was deny'd the Communion, being thought un…orthy to receive it, they lookt upon it as the greateſt puniſhment in the World. Such a puniſhment, that they could not reſt quietly under it; but, being full of grief and ſorrow for thoſe ſins which kept them from ſuch a Bleſſing, they made moſt humble ſupplications, with many tears and moſt lamentable cries, to be reſtored to the peace of the Church, and Communion with Chriſt in his benefits.They fell upon their Knees, and beſeeched the forgiveneſs and the Prayers, and Interceſſions of their Chriſtian Brethren: whom they intreated, after a moſt lowly manner, to ſolicite for them, that they might no longer remain in that forlorn condition: baniſhed from the preſence of God, and from the Society of his People.
And till this was effected, they were in anguiſh of mind, and bitterneſs of Spirit: looking upon themſelves as loſt men, who had the ſentence of death paſſed upon them: from which they begged, in ſack-cloth and aſhes, that they might be delivered.
Ʋpon which things when I reflect, I am amazed, and cannot but cry out, ſaying; Good God! how are we faln? What a diſmal decay is there of Chriſtian Piety among us? What an univerſal Lethargy hath ſeized us, in theſe Ages? Whereinwe ſee men lying very contentedly under that, which the first Chriſtians thought the heavieſt Calamity: Nay, willingly refraining the holy Communion, and keeping themſelves from it, as unworthy of the benefit; and yet are not at all troubled at it.
What an alteration is this? What new, or rather no Chriſtianity is it; which teaches men now, to lie quietly in ſuch a condition, as they themſelves confeſs makes them unfit for Communion with God; and never to think of bewailing it, and being reconciled to Him, whom they have thus hainouſly offended?
This is ſo ſad a conſideration, that it ought to awaken all good men, to call upon their people, and earneſtly beſeech them, to remember from whence they are faln, and repent, and do the firſt works. When there was no need to uſe ſo many arguments, as I have repreſented, to prove this to be a Chriſtian Duty; nor ſo many motives, to perſwade men to the frequent practice of it: but they ran forwardly to the holy Communion; and were troubled, above meaſure, if they might not have the priviledge to receive it.
There were no quarrels then raiſed in thoſe days, againſt the manner of its Adminiſtration: no diſputes againſt the poſture, wherein it was received. The Miniſters of Chriſt had not their pretious time taken up, in anſwering objections, and ſatisfying doubts and ſcruples; much leſs did they ſtand in need of the aſſiſtance of the Civil Power to inforce the practice of this duty. Which all took to be a Commandment of our Lord and Maſter, to commemorate his wonderful love, and ſhew forth his death and paſſion for our ſakes; and therefore was no leſs chearfully and readily obeyed, than if theyhad been invited to the moſt delitious Feast, and promiſed to receive the greateſt largeſſes in the World.
That it may be ſo again, is the deſign of publiſhing theſe Papers; in which I have repreſented thoſe Truths, which, if they be weighed and laid to heart, will ſave us this labour for the future. For I have ſhown you a ſhort way to be free from all fears, and doubts about this matter: which is, not to leave your ſelves in uncertainty whether you ſhall go to Heaven or no; but by making that ſure, to make your ſelves ſit for the Holy Communion: unto which you may go with an aſſured confidence, if you have any good hope to be admitted into the Society of the bleſſed in Heaven.
If that be out of doubt, you need not doubt of acceptance with Chriſt, at his holy Table. For which the beſt preparation is an holy Life; or a ſerious Reſolution of it for the future,if hitherto we have lived otherwiſe. What other Preparation had the Apoſtles, for the partaking of the firſt Euchariſt, with our Bleſſed Lord and Saviour? What other could they have, when Chriſtians received it every day? If we have this therefore, which is the main thing, let us not ſtand upon little niceties: nor waſte that time in queſtioning and debating, whether we be ſit or no; which ought to be ſpent in doing this and other Chriſtian Duties, whereby we ſhall be every day fitter to have Communion with our Saviour.
Remember, that it is in actions of Piety, as it is in thoſe of Policy. A Wiſdom that is too ſcrupulous, commonly doth nothing for fear of doing ill. We read of Cities that have been taken, while the Senators were gravely deliberating how to preſerve them. Even ſo is it here too; over-much niceneſs about preparation,makes men never to be prepared. Therefore it is a fault; when it hinders that duty, which it keeps us ſtill thinking how to perform.
Let us not confound our ſelves with words, but underſtand the ſenſe of things: and then we ſhall not be perplexed, as many have been, in this buſineſs of Preparation.
Much leſs will any be affrighted from the holy Communion, by being commanded to kneel when they receive it. Which is no more than they do at their daily Prayers; and therefore ſhould the rather be inclined to do here, when we pray and give thanks for the greateſt bleſſings: which we cannot do in too humble a manner. We worſhip alſo and adore our Bleſſed Lord, in this holy action: and therefore, one would think, ſhould be diſpoſed of our ſelves, without any injunction, to fall down upon our Knees, in token of the worſhip which we give Him. Which is noPopiſh Ceremony; being not ſo much as injoined by that Church in the act of receiving; nor obſerved by the Pope himſelf (who when he receives, rather ſits, or leans a little forward, upon his Throne) but an ancient devout Poſture of the beſt Chriſtians, which the people of the Roman Communion, obſerve, by long cuſtom, without bidding: And therefore ſhould much more be chearfully obſerved by us; when we are enjoined to keep to the ancient reverence, wherewith the Saints of God received the pledges of our Saviours love.
Vouchſafe, I beſeech you, to give this ſmall Book, wherewith I preſent you, a careful Reading, and I doubt not it will free you, not only from theſe, but from all ſorts of ſcruples, if any of you be troubled with them; which now hinder many people, from the greateſt duty, and comfort too, of our holy Religion.
Which if you would be perſwaded to perform often; the profit which would redound to you thereby, would be as great as the Credit which it would do to our Church and Religion. For no man can come ſeriouſly to the holy Communion; but with ſome Reſolutions of being better than he hath been: which Reſolutions are not preſently broken, but laſt for ſome time: And therefore if there were not too long a distance between one Communion and another, it is likely they might laſt for ever. For before the force of the firſt Reſolution were quite loſt, it would be backt and ſtrengthned with a ſecond: and ſo being re-inforced from time to time; while it remained in ſome power, would become ſo firm, that it would never be broken.
Make a trial, I earneſtly intreat you; and ſuffer not this pains, which I have taken to ſerve you, to be thrown away, without that good effect.Which it will not be, if you make the trial with the ſame ſeriouſneſs, wherewith I have written this Treatiſe. In which you will meet with nothing to entertain the fancy, not ſo much as with fine words and elegant compoſure; but with good store, I think, of ſolid ſenſe, to inlighten the mind, to inform the judgment, to pierce the heart, to ſtir up holy devotion; nay, to turn the will, and produce godly Reſolutions: which if they be purſued, and have their fruit unto holineſs, will in the end bring you to Eternal Life.
And that ſuch Reſolutions may be both produced and purſued, I will here add one obſervation more, for the removing the greateſt of thoſe hindrances to Holy Communion, which lie in the way of thoſe who pretend to Religion. It is this:
That doubts and ſcruples, being the weakneſs, and ſickneſs of the Soul,they that readily entertain them, and then ſuffer them to remain there quietly and peaceably, are in a very ill caſe; nay, ought to look upon themſelves as in a very dangerous condition. For it is a ſign all is naught within; and that they deceive themſelves with a vain opinion of their being Religious. For they who are truly ſo, groan under their doubts and ſcruples, as under a ſore Diſeaſe; and therefore will not let them long dwell with them, but ſeek with all ſpeed to have ſatiſfaction: which when it is offered, they receive with all readineſs of mind, and are not loth to be cured; but rejoice that they are ſet at liberty to ſerve God without impediment, and that there is nothing left in their Souls to oppoſe their duty.
Whereas bad people, in a quite contrary way, give admiſſion to thoſe ſcruples and doubts into their minds, with a ſecret pleaſure; and having entertained them, let them reſt, and take up their lodging there very willingly: becauſe they will plead their excuſe, they fancy, for not doing their duty; and be a defence to their lazyneſs, Worldly mindedneſs, and other naughty affections.
In ſhort, Doubts and Scruples never ariſe in good mens minds without grief, nor ſtay there without much trouble; and therefore they long to be rid of them; and are glad when they are diſcharged; becauſe they hinder the performance of their Chriſtian Duty: but bad men not only liſten to them willingly, but embrace them as welcome Gueſts, which they cheriſh, and never part withal, without difficulty, and ſome ſort of inward diſpleaſure; becauſe they deſire the Worldly Spirit that is in them ſhould not be left without all excuſe, but have ſomething to ſay for it ſelf, when it is preſſed by theforce of Religion, againſt its inclinations.
Search, and try your ſelves by this mark, and the Lord give you a right judgment in all things, for Jeſus Chriſt his ſake. In whom I remain
Your Faithful Servant, S. Patrick.